Maxwell Elementary School will have a new principal this coming school year, but the face is a familiar one. During a special called meeting Wednesday evening, the McDuffie County Board of Education unanimously approved Donna Bennett to take the helm. Mrs. Bennett has been the assistant principal at Maxwell Elementary for the past four years. She will replace Dr. Mychele Rhodes, who was promoted two weeks ago to be the Federal Programs Director in McDuffie County.
"Of course I'm very excited at being chosen as principal of Maxwell," Mrs. Bennett said Wednesday evening in a telephone interview. "I'm looking forward to being a leader of such a wonderful faculty and staff. Maxwell has a dynamic group of people. We will continue to keep the best interest of each and every child as our top priority."
Before her four years as an administrator at MES, Mrs. Bennett was a teacher in Columbia and Wilkes counties for 10 years. Mrs. Bennett still lives in Wilkes County with her husband and their three children, but she said their house is on the market and when it is sold, they plan to move to McDuffie County.
First on the new principal's agenda is to find a replacement for her assistant principal's position. Immediately after the called meeting adjourned, McDuffie Schools Superintendent Mark Petersen placed the opening on the school system's website, where it will remain posted for five days. Mrs. Bennett said she will begin interviews the second week in July and hopes to have a recommendation for the board at their regular July meeting.
"We need to have a full boat by the time school starts," Dr. Petersen said during the meeting when District 7 representative Rick McCorkle questioned if five days would be long enough for interested parties to apply.
The first day of school for students in McDuffie County for the 2008-09 school year is Friday, August 8. Teachers return on Monday, August 4.
